Hank: (gives way for Molly to give me a hug, smiling as he walks away)

Molly: (hugs me with the force of a snow-plow) MOMMY!

Me: Ofta! Hello chicken!

Molly: Mommy, I crying.

Me: (inspecting the frozen tears on her face) I see the evidence of that, but why are you crying?

Molly: (complicated mumbling toddler explanation)

Pai: (stepping out of the kitchen, bringing delicious dinner smells along with him) Amália asked for a chupa-chupa (sucker) which she promptly chewed to nothing and by the time I turned around she was opening a second chupa (sucker) without asking then was rather upset when I took chupa (sucker) number two away from her.

Me: Goodness!

Molly: Papa took my chupa (sucker) away! It mine! I open it.

Me: (sitting on the floor to be at her level) I see, but did you ask permission? Did you say, “Papa, I am all done with my chupa (sucker). May I have another? May I have a chupa (sucker) number two, please?”

Molly:

Pai: She did not.

Me: You don’t just get what you want because you want it, little one. You have to ask first. You have to ask your papa or I if you may do something or eat something. You have to ask for permission.

Molly: But I want it.

Me: And I totally understand. I hear you. I wish you could eat 10,000,000,000,684 chupas (suckers) but your tummy would be so sick and your teeth would suffer beyond repair! Just because you want something doesn’t mean you get it, especially when it comes to candy and world peace.

Molly: (arms crossed, lip sticking out, pouting)

Me: Mollly, you always have to ask permission for things because you are a learning and growing, but also because you are a part of a team. What do you think would happen if you just walked in the door with a pet elephant because the circus had no room for him just because you wanted him.

Molly: I want an elephant!

Me: I know, BUT do we have room for an elephant in this house?

Molly: (excited) Yes! Baby elephant, YES!

Me: But baby elephants GROW into big elephants.

Molly: Oh.

Me: And where would the elephant sleep?

Molly: WITH ME!

Me: But your bed would break and he’d steal all the blankets and we have no grass or hay or thorn bush for him to eat and his feet would crack out tile floors and we just don’t have room in our family for an elephant, SO you couldn’t bring one home, unless you had permission. Chupas (suckers) are like elephants. You always have to ask first.

Molly: My elephant… my elephant lives at Marta’s house. She has grass and he lives with the leaves. My elephant loves leaves. He stay at Marta’s house. I ask permitten.

Me: (confused)

Pai: Remember, mommy? Amália decided her TOY elephant should fly and he got lost in the bush at Marta’s house?